Crane-hook grab-bucket



F. H. WILLIAMS.

CRANE HOOK GRAB BUCKET.

APPLICATION FILED usc. I9I9.

. N. Numb 1I m` 2 9 w Y I f. a I l.. m Q N N 0 T mw mm .N nu w P. e I I *o E J D H v I 3 vo v I r S .u O .nlalnllolnn 7 d 4mm o E... DIW oN 0 G G`G GWG z H D S IIII ob Wm o IIIII G im mw mw o o P .I.2\. o M I o o a o o I o m o A w O 0|. O. lo o mf w M @L E [Il] Iw` o o o o o o .8 o o o o G` o o o o o QN W E. ma N mln' MN .I I, G vwfM/u 2 I..- 4 2 QW *N 0 O 4h wm S. l mm F. H. WILLIAMS.

CRANE HOOK GRAB BUCKET. PPLICATION FILED m0811919.

Patented Dec. 20, 1921.

4 SHEETS--SHEET 2- F. H. WILLIAMS.

CRANE HOOK GRAB BUCKET.

APPLICATION FILED DECy 8, I9I9.

1,400,922, y I Patented Deu. 20, 1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

F. H. WILLIAMS.

CRANE HOOK GRAB BUCKET. APPLICATION man Dc.8. 1919.

Patented Dec. 20, 1921 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

stares nr one FRANK H. WILLAMS, 0F BUFFALO, NEVI YORK.

CRANE-ESGE GRAB-BUCKET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented lec., Ztl, id21.

To all @f1/tom t may concern.'

lle it known that lf, Fit-mk ll. VrLLniMs, a citizen ot' the United States of America, ano a resident of the city of Buffalo, county of Erie, and State or" New York, have invented certain ynew and useful improvements in Crane-Hook Grab-Buckets, ot' which the following is a full, clear, and eX- act description. n

The principal objects oit my invention have been to provide a bucket which may be operated troni the hook of any crane or other hoisting device without any additional connection with the hoist mechanism ci' the crane or device; to provide a bucket ot coinpact design having` minimum head rooin or distance between the bottoni oit the bucket and thV hook ot the operating crane; and to provide a bucket having,` both automatic and hand trippingl ineans for opening the bucket.

Another object has been to provide a bucket so designed that the hand tripping means will be ineffective except when' the bucket is closed or near its closed position. lf the bucket segments are held openby any large objects they will be set against hand tripping and thus the bucket will be protected 'from severe shocks.

A. further object has been to provide springi tops for the bucket when it is being closed and also for the segments when `they reach the limit oi their open positions, thus absorbing the shock incident to the opening and closing ol the bucket.

The segments ot roy bucket are arranged to have rollingcontact with the body oi" the bucket, when the bucket is digging, thereby greatly reducing the friction and Vconsequently the power required to operate the bucket.

My bucket is provided with a tunnelshaped top so as to permit the easy and sure ingress of the hoist block. rthe bucket has very few projecting parts to catch on. objects adjacent to which it may be operated, suitable detlecting' means being` provided. to efficiently ward oit shocks to the horizontal projecting. reinforcing members ot the body.

,lh-e aocve objects and ad'antages have been accomplished by the device shown in ying; drawings, el which:

i ure 1 is a side elevation ot inf; buoi-et '1u closed position.

Fic: 2 is a iront elevation thereof. y

. I3 is an enlarged, sectional elevation ol the bucket in its closed position and is taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 7. i

Fig. `4 is a similar view, with the bucket segments `open and the cross-heads in their' lowerrnost positions, taken on line -l oi Fig. 1.

lFig. 5 isa plan view of the bucket in its clo ed position with portions broken away, showing;` the lower cross-head.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary, plan view, showing the lower cross-head.

'i' is an enlarged, sectional elevation taken on line 7*? ot Fig. 3, showing the bucket in its closed position.

Fig. 8 is afragnientary view, similar to Fig. 7, but with the one bucket segment shown in its open position and wi h the upper cross-head in its uppermost position.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view showing the rolling,- support for each bucket segment, taken on line 9-9 ot Fig. 2.

Fig. 10' is a fragmentary, sectional view taken on line 1^-l0 ot 7.

.Fig 11 is an enlarged view oi the trippingi mechanism with the parts `in engaged positions.

Fig. 12 is a similar view, showing the parts in their disengaged positions.

bucket comprises a body 10 and bucket segments 12 and 13. T he upper part ot the body is preferably of rectangular shape and the sides 14; and 15 thereot are provided with flared lower portions 16, whereby the proper spread `for the segments is provided for. The sides 17 of the body project downwardly in between the cutaway vertical 18 oi" the bucket segments, so as to completely close the lower part oi' the bucket when the segments are in their closed positions. y providing,` the cutaway edges at the working side oi the segments, digging etliciency is obtained. 33 are horizontal reinforcing` rneinbers which extend across eacl. of the sides l? of the bucket and terminate at the flaring' ends 16. rEhese members stiften the bucket bodyT across its greatest span.. and. deliectine; members 63 and 64e are provided on opposite sides of the reinforcing ineinbers so to prevent them from catching' or striking' objects adjacent to which the bucket is operated.

To each corner ot the flared lower portions 16 of the body is secured a hinge ineinber 20. e. hinge pin 2.1 passes throu l track 26 having projecting` iianges 27 for engagement with the roller 22and the hangers 23. rlfhe track portion of the closing Varm is preferably curved so as to impart the proper motion to the bucket segment. The hangers 23 are each provided with an inwardly projecting lip 28, and these lips engage with the under side of the track flanges 27k and thereby support `the Ybucket segments. The hangers are also provided with inwardly projecting lugs 29, which engage with the upper surface of the track 26 and act as Scrapers to keep the track clean.v

The upper end 30 of each of these closing arms is pivotally connected with the lower cross-head 35 or my device. 31 are separators which are placed between the closing arms 25 ol the bucket segments, near their upper ends. These separators are held in position by a bolt 32 and are oi such a weight as to insure the Vlull opening of the bucket segments when the lower crosshead is moving to its lowermost position.

36 are cross-head guides, one of each of which is secured to each inner face of the sides 17 of the bucket body. These guides are preferably made or" standard rail sections and are arranged vertically, extending; from the top ofthe body to the bottom of the portions of the sides 17 which extent between the cutaway portions of the bucket segments. The lower cross-head 35 and the upper cross-head 37 are slidably mounted upon the guides 36.

The lower cross-head, shown in Fig. 6 comprises two plates 3S, one arranged on each side of the guides 36, and having suitable separators 39 arranged between them. The outer ends 45 of each of these plates are bent outwardly at right angles, and an angle plate 46 is arranged with its outwardly extending leg' 47 in parallel relation with each orl the ends 45 of the plate 33. Each adjacent leg 47 and end 45 are perforated and a pivot pin or bolt 48 is passed through the registering apertures, thus providing pivotal connections for the upper ends 30 of the closing arms 25.

So as to cushion the shock of the lower cross-head-and to stop the same in its down ward movement, l provide a spring stop or a shock absorber at each side of the bucket. Extending across and secured to each flared end 16 of the bucket body are preferably an I-beam 49, and a channel iron 50, spaced at some distance from each other and connected by a plate 44. llhus a recess 51 is formed in which punchings or other suitable material may be placed to increase the weight of the bucket. This arrangement provides a very still body and a suitable support for the springstops or shock absorbers. F or convenience, I will describe but one oi these spring stops and its connected parts. Each of the spring stops preferablycomprises a cylinder 52, suitably held between the I-beam 49 and channel iron 50, and having a spring 53 arranged centrally within the cylinder. A bolt 54, having an eye 55, passes through the channel iron and the center of the spring 53 and has a washer 62 and nut 56 secured to its lower end, which, when adjusted, bear against the lower end of the spring. is pivotally mounted on the upper face of each of the channel irons by means of the angle plates 58. The eye 55 of the bolt 54 is pivotally secured to one end of this bellcrank lever, and a link 59 is secured to the outer end thereof. A chain 6G is secured at one end to the outer end ot the link 59 and at the other end to a connection 61, se-v cured to the lower cross-head and formed preferably as shown in'Figs. 4, 5 and 6. It will be obvious that the chains 60 are ot such a Vlength that Vthe sprinfrs 53 will be placed under compression when the lower cross-head has reached the lower limit ol2 its predetermined travel. Y

rlhe upper cross-head 37 (see Figs. V5, 7 and 8) comprises two plates 65, disposed in parallel relation and suitably secured together with interposed separators (not shown), whereby the plates are held at a predetermined distance 'from each other. These plates engage with the guides 36 an( their outer ends extend beyond the heads of the tracks. A guide lug 66 is secured on the inner faces of each or.' the extended ends, and these lugs engage with `the under sides of the heads of each of the guides, whereby the cross-head is held centrally during its travel. Two angle-irons 67 and 63, an ranged in Z-shaped relation, are secured near each end of each oiC the platee 65. A plate 69, or' substantially inverted Ushape if.: secured at its side 70 to the outerl leg oi e ch of the angles 68. The side 71 of each ot these plates is arranged adjacent and secured to the plates 65, with the top 72 or" each disposed over the pocket 73 `formed by the angle-iron structure just described, An angle-iron stop member 74 is arranged at each side oi the cross-head and within the two inverted U-shaped plates 63 secured to each of the crosseliead plates Each of these stop members is thus arran ed in the upper ends of the pockets 7 ano their ends are extended so as to engage with the stops 75 carried by the side plates 17 of the body. The stops 7 5 are so positioned that the angle iron stop members 74 will engage therewith when the Vsegments of the bucket have A bell-crank lever 57 i. ,enclose reached their closed positions. The angles 68 ere cut away as shown in F 8, so as to perniit the stop members 7e to have a sligh vertical motion with respect to the inverter tir-shaped plate G9. Mounted vithiu euch or the pockets 'T3 a helical spring` having its upper end ei'iguging with the end el the angle-iron stop nieniber Til. T7 is a bolt passingl up through each of "he springs T6, the end or' the stop nieinber Te' and top Y2 of the plate S99 Where it is provided with a suitable nut. rEhe head of each oit the bolts engages with the bottoni of each of the springs 76, whereby the springs ure ield under compression Within the pockets f3 and serve to press the stop member 7e upwardly. ldlhen the upper cross-head is inoied to its uppermost position, as in lii`ting the bucket when dumped or when tripping the bucket, the impact of the angle-iron stop member 74, es' it strikes the stops T5 willv be taken by the springs and thus absorb the shock. llotatably mounted between the plates olf the upper eross-head are chain sheaves 80. il heisa-ing chain 8l is'pussed beneath euch of the sheeves S0 and has one end secured to the upper end of oi" the tracksBG by ineans or a pin rlie other end ol the chain passes upwardly and is attached to a hoist yoke 83. y'lhis yoke is oi' curved shape, heving its radius pieten ably struck from a center in a piane which passes through the center of the pivot pins Securing' the upper ends et' the chains ol to the yoke. rthis insures an even pull on the chains, no inatterwhat position the crane hook may assume relative to the hoist yoke S3. lhe upper end T9 the body i0 made flaring or -i'iuniielsliapcd, so as to stillen the body 'lll of the bucket and also provide a `guide to facilitate the entrrnee into the body of the bucket or the inist yor-.2e 83 and the hook et the operating' crane when the upper cross-head is bein g 'l My bucket i provided iv eh suiiag ing ineans for connecting the up lower cross-heads and comprises: a hoist hanger 8e2, secured centrally between and near the lower edges et the plates of the up 2er cross-huid. This hanger is provided with an arni 85, having an inclined shoulder S6. il hoist hook is pivotully niounteC between the plates 238 or' the lower cross head and in registerli position with the hoist hanger Oi This heit hook has e Urs,

Weighted arni 85? and an upwardly e endingl arm 89, liuviii;` a hook torn'iec e, es upper end. The hook 9() has a surface 9i. wl ch 1 A LDitefl erin l the hook 90 normally in eng;

the shoulder Se. Si surface dog` 93 is engageable with this surface. The trip dog is rigidly mounted upon Va trip lever 9st, rotataoly urried by the upper cross-heed. i counteriveight 95, rigidly mounten upon the trip lever 9%, keeps the trip dog 93 normally in an eng @cable position with the surface The single. between the suri'ace et the shoulder 86 and a horizontal pleine7 slightly ter than the angle ci repose of' the el gagging surfaces; and when the trip dogl 93 l with. the surface 92 of the hoist lixook, the surfaces 91 and 8G 'will be kept in locking engagement. The outer end o1 c weight 95 is provided with an an cular su;

D carried by one et' the plaies be or cross-head, whereby the rotation o lever Je is limited.

is a trip Weight which is slidably mounted. Within suitable Ways 101, carried by one oi the plates i7 of the body (see Figs. 5, Z and 8). lhe body of this weight is preferably l-shape in crosssection and provided with e central partition or Wall 102. rl`he outer end oit the trip lever 9e is curved shown in these figures and is arranged to engage vxith the Wall 102 of the trip Weight. This trip Weight is so proportioned that it is not heavy enough to disengage the trip dop,` 93 Yliroin the surface 92 while the chains 8l are carrying the closing or hoistingA leech but is suiliciently heavy to trip the device when the bucket is rested upon the material and the chains are relieved from this load. il slot 103 is arranged through one of the Walls 17 and adjacent the upper end of the trip Weight when the saine is in its upperi'nost position. 101i is a hand trip lever, which is pivotally attached to the eine plate i7 having the slot and is provided with an inwardly extending; lug O. This lug is engageable with the upper surface ore the trip weight i011) wherel'iy the same is ineved downwardly when the hand trip rope 105, attached to the erin 107 oi the hand trip lever is pulled. .el stop pin 10S is carried by the side i7 o the bucket and in the path ci travel of the trip Weight 100.

lil-.Then iny bucket is to be opened `from the position shoivn in llig. T, the hand trip rope it is pulled which will inove the trip Weight l0() downwardly and thus disengagfe the trip dogg' 93 frein the surface 92. ils herein before stated the angle between the hori- Zontal plane and each of the engaging sur- Ylaces 91 and 86 beinp; slightly greater than the angle oit repose, the weight oi the lower cross-head and adjacent parts will be cient to disengy the hook 90 from the shoulder S6 and thereby allow the levier cross-head to fall to its lovverinost position and thus open the bucket segments l2 and tace 9G, which is eneaf'erblo Wit in engagement Vby this surface.

13. As the lower cross-head is reaching its Y lowermost position the chains 60 will exert edge engages with the stop pin 108. After the trip weight 100 has reached the stop pin 108, the trip lever 94 will be disengaged from the weight, and the counterweight 95, carried by the trip lever, will move the trip dog 93 to the position shown in ll` ig. 11. As the upper cross-head reaches the'lower end of its travel, the hook 90 will slide past the arm 35 of the hoist hanger 84, and will become engaged with the shoulder 86 of the hoist hanger when it is opposite the shoulder. During` this movement the trip dog will be raised and will fall into engagement with the surface 9:2 when the hook 90 has engaged with the surface 86 and prevent the hook from` becoming disengaged from the shoulder until released by the trip weight 100 or the action of the trip lever 10a. rllhe hoist yoke 83 is now drawn upwardly which will move both cross-heads upwardly upon the guides until the bucket segments 12 and 13 have reached their closed positions. luring the upward movement of the cross-heads, the curved end of the trip will again engage with the trip weight 100 and carry it upwardly to the position shown in Fig. 7. .as hereinbefore stated, the weight of this trip weight 100 is not sufficient to dis-engage the tripV dog 93 from the surface 92 when there is a pull between the cross-heads.

lf desired, the bucket may now be tripped by hand by pulling on the hand tripV rope 106. rllhis will move the trip weight 100 downwardly and perform the same functions as hereinbefore described, thus releasing the lower cross-head as hereinbefore described. llowever, my bucket is designed to be automatically tripped, and it is preferably lowered to the surface where its contents are to be emptied andl its weight taken lVhen it is so rested the pull between the cross-heads is released and this allows the trip weight 100 to disengage the trip dog 93 from the surface 92, so that when the bucket is again elevated the latch hook 90 will disengage itself from the shoulder 86- and allow the lower cross-head to fall downwardly and dump the contents of the bucket.

As the upper cross-V It sometimes happens that large stones or boulders become lodged between the edges of the bucket segments, thus preventing the segments from fully closing. lf the bucket is tripped when in this position, the upper cross-head will necessarily move upwardly below the limit of movement of the hainl tripping means. lWhen in this position the bucket will be automatically Vtripped by means for the counterweight 100, when it is lowered, so that its weight is taken by the material being handled, as hereinbefore decribed, thus allowing the upper cross-head to move slowly up to its stops 75 without producing any excessive shock to the bucket. T ie limited movement of the lug 105 of the trip arm l01l limits the height of the upper cross-head at which hand 'tripping may be performed and consequently limits the shock on the stops to an amount which may be taken care of by means of shock absorbing parts of practical size. Y

lt should be understood that slot formed in each of the closing arms may be advantageously used in place of the track 2h and substantially the same results obtained, and that, likewise, other forms of slidable connection secured to the segments may .be used, but the form herein shown and described is the preferred form. `instead of the weight 100, l may use any other suitable means, such as a door arranged in the side of the body for maintaining' a constant pressure on the trip lever which is suilicient to trip the means connecting the cross-heads when the tension between them is released. rlhese and other modifications of the details herein shown and describedmay be made without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the appended claims; and l do not therefore wish to be limited to the exact embodiment herein shown and described, the form hereinbefore described being -merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim is:

1. A grab bucket comprising a body, bucket segments, tracks carried by each bucket segment, and bucket segment supporting means carried by the lower corners of the body for slidable engagement with the tracks of the segments.

2. A grab bucket comprising a body, bucket segments, curved tracks carried by each bucket segment, and means carried by the lower corners of the body for slidable engagement with the tracks oi' the segments.

8. it. grab bucket comprising a body, an upper, movable cr .ss-head, a lower, movable cross-head, means for engaging the crosslieads, bucket segments, each provided with closing arms pivotally connected to the lower cross-head, tracks carried by each bucket segment, and bucket segment supporting means carried by the body for slidablc engagement with the tracks of the segments.

t. [i grab bucket comprising a body, an upper, movable cross-head, a lower, movable cross-head, means for engaging the crossheads, bucket segments, each provided with closing arms pivotally connected to the lower cross-head, curved tracks carried by each bucket segment, and bucket segment supporting means carried by the body for slidable engagement with the tracks of the segments.

5. A grab bucket comprising a body,

bucket segments, tracks carried by each bucket segment, and segment hangers pivotally carried by the body and engageable with the tracks of the segments.

6. A grab bucket comprising a body, bucket segments, tracks carried by each bucket segment, and a' roller carried by the body forengagement with each of the tracks.

7. A grab bucket comprising a body, bucket segments, tracks carried by each bucket segment, segment hangers pivotally carried by the body and engageable with the tracks of the segments, and a roller carried by the body for engagement with each oi' the tracks.

8. A grab bucket comprising a body, an upper cross-head, a lower cross-head, means for engaging the cross-heads, bucket segments, each provided with closing arms pivotally connected to the lower cross-head, tracks secured to each bucket segment, hangers pivotally carried by the body and engageable with the tracks of the segments, and a roller carried by the body for each of the tracks.

9. A. grab bucket comprising a body, guides carried by the body, a cross-head slidably mounted on the guides, bucket segments pivotally united to the cross-bead and slidably supported by the body, and stops carried by the body, said stops being connected with the cross-head 'for limiting the downward movement ot the cross-head.

10. A grab bucket comprising a body, guides carried by the body, a cross-head slidably mounted on the guides, bucket segments pivotally united to the cross-head and slidably supported by the body, and spring stops carried by the body, said stops being connected with the cross-head for limiting the downward movement of the cross-head.

grab bucket comprising a body, guides carried by the body, a cross-head slidably mounted on the guides, bucket segments piyotally united to the cross-head and slidably supported by the body, stops carried by the body, and flexible connections between the stops and the cross-bead 'for limiting the downward movement of the cross-head.

l2. A grab bucket comprising a body, guides carried by the body, a cross-head slidably mounted on the guides, bucket segments pivotally united to the cross-head and slidably supported by the body, resilient stops carried by the body and flexible connections between the stops and the cross-head i'ior limiting the downward movement of the crosshead.

13. A grab bucket comprising a body, guides carried by the body, an upper crossliead, a lower cross-head, each slidably mounted on the guides, means for connectingthe cross-heads, bucket segments piyotally united to the lower cross-head and slidably supported by the body, and resilient stops carried by the body, said stops being connected with the lower cross-head for limiting the downward movement of the lower cross-head.

14. A grab bucket comprising a body, bucket segments having their adjacent side edges cut away and sloping back 'from the vertical center-line of the bucket, 'the body being provided with downwardly projecting portions, filling the spaces between the cut' away adjacent edges of the segments, tracks carried by each bucket segment, and means carried by the body for slidable engagement with the tracks of the segments.

l5. A grab bucket comprising a body, guides carried by the body, a cross-head slidably mountedon the guides, bucket segments pivotally united to the cross-head and slidably supported by the body, and straight girder connections between the outer, lower corners of the body.

1 6. A grab bucket comprising a body, guides carried by the body, an upper crosshead, a lower cross-head, each slidably mounted on the guides, means connecting the cross-heads, and bucket segments pivotally united to the lower cross-head and slidably supported by the body, the body being centrally open, whereby the hook of the tackle can be lowered to the lowermost position of the upper cross-head.

17. A grab bucket comprising a body, guides carried by the body, an upper crosshead, a lower cross-head, each slidably mounted on the guides, means connecting the cross-heads, and bucket segments pivotally united to the lower cross-head and slidably supported by the body, the body being formed with a funnel shaped top, whereby the body structure is strengthened and the tackle hoolr guidedV into the interior of the body.

18. A grab bucket comprising a body, guides carried by the body, an upper crosshead, a lower cross-head, each slidably mounted on the guides, bucket segments, latching means for connecting the crossheads, comprising a hoist hanger, a hoist hoolr engageable with the hanger, the hanger and the hook having engaging surfaces so inclined that they will separate under tension, and means for maintaining these surfaces in engagement.

19. A grab bucket comprising a body, guides carried by the body, an upper crosshead, a lower cross-head, each slidably mounted on the guides, bucket segments, latching means for connecting the crossheads, comprising a hoist hanger, a hoist hook` engageable with the hanger, a trip dog engageable with the hook for holding it in its engaged position, and pressure means carried by the body for moving the trip dog out or engagement with the hoisthook when the tension between the cross-heads is released.V

20. A' grab bucket comprisinga body, guides carried by the body, an upper crosshead, a lower cross-head, each slidably mounted on the guides, bucket segments, late ring means for connecting the crossheads, comprising a hoist hanger, a hoist hoolr engageable with the hanger, a trip lever, a trip dog carried by the trip lever and engageable with the hook for holding it in its engaged position, and pressure means engageable with the trip lever for moving the trip dog out of engagement withV the hoist hook when the tension between the crossheads is released.

21. A grab bucket comprising a body7 guides carried by the body, an upper crosshead, a lower Cross-head, each slidably mounted on the guides, bucket sefrments, latching means for connecting the crossheads, comprising a hoist hanger, a hoist hook engageable with the hanger, a trip dog engageable with the hook for holding it in its engaged position, and means carried by the body for maintaining a constant presire on the trip dog, whereby the latching means will be tripped when the tension between the cross-heads is released.

22. A grab bucket comprising a body, guides carried by the body, an upper crosshead, a lower cross-head, each, slidabiy mounted in the guides, bucket segments, latching means for connecting the oross heads, and manually actuated tripping means, engageable with the latching means and comprising pressure means carried by the body, a hand trip lever pivotally mounted on the body and engageable with the pressure means when such means are in their upper position, whereby the but-liet may be manually tripped only when the segments are near their closed positions.

23. A grab bucket comprising a body7 guides carried by the body, an upper crosshead, a lower cross-head, each slidably mounted on the guides, bucket segments, latching means for connecting the crossieads, comprising hoist hanger, a hoist hook engageable with the hanger, a trip dog engageable with the hook for holding it in its engaged position, pressure means carried by the body for moving the trip dog out of engagement with the hoist hook when the tension between the cross-heads is released, and manually operated means for actuating the latching means.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

FRANK H. wrLLmMs 

